Monday, Rainy Monday

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Woke up to thunder and lightning and heavy rains … so, the Falls Experience will have to wait until tomorrow. We did visit the Niagara Falls Welcome Center and learned some interesting things. Such as the story of a young boy who, after a boating accident threw him overboard in the Niagara River, became the only person to survive going
over the falls unintentionally! After seeing the falls somewhat up close, I can’t fathom how anyone could live through that. We also saw one of those ‘4D’ movies about the formation of the falls – got us pretty wet even though we were wearing ponchos. Surprisingly, it was pretty entertaining. We also ventured out onto the observation deck
as the sun sometimes peeked through the raindrops – so I did get a few pictures. Tomorrow we will get up close to the falls via the Maid of the Mist boat tour.

We decided to head to Lockport, NY, for a two-hour cruise on the Erie Canal. While buying our tickets, the lady behind the desk was telling us about a couple who had a dog and insisted it was a "service dog" so it should be allowed on the boat. As we completed our purchase she said, "Here they come now - now you tell me." We turned to see a couple, looking perfectly fit with no obvious impairments, walking a tiny white toy poodle, about 10 inches tall, complete with a little vest and a badge. Yeah, service dog...

By the afternoon the weather was perfect, and the canal tour was very enjoyable. Even though Allison was very knowledgeable about the canal (relying on the lyrics of the song “Erie Canal” – you know, “I got a mule, her name is Sal, 15 miles on the Erie Canal...), she now knows even more that she can pass on to her students while teaching the song. We went through two locks, lifting the boat a total of 50 feet and it was very interesting and fun.(The dog, by the way, showed no evidence of any special skills!)

Our evening entertainment was a magic show. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting that much from a non-Vegas show, but this guy, Greg Frewin, was great. Even Allison, who was not real excited about a magic act, was impressed, and we both had a great time. We even got to spend time inside a cage with a tiger - and have a picture to prove it!
That was our day, other than Jeff losing a few bucks at the nearby casino. Hopefully the weather will be great tomorrow and we will get up close (and wet) at the falls.

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Photos

Horseshoe Falls
with the Maid of the Mist boat in the 'whirlpool'. Just for reference, that's a 300-person boat.

Upside-down Railroad Bridge
built this way to discourage tall boats on the canal - leaving more business for the railroad.

WTF Part 1.
Sighted on our way to Lockport ....

WTF Part 2
Apparently, this driveway has a toll booth! We can't think of any other purpose for this structure.

Comments

[Jan Strevig]

Cool
Sounds like a fun day. BTW since you learned something you can (and I am sure you will) use in your teaching, part of your trip is now tax deductible! Sweeeeeeeeeet. You know me - always looking out for my friends.

[Karen]

WTF explained!
As a Yankee transplant, I would be willing to bet that this strange structure is a home-made school bus stop shelter. There are bus-stop shelters like this around where I grew up (more lean-to looking by us, especially on the rural routes, because you know, up north, they don't cancel school everytime there is threat from a few flurries! Bus drivers will not stop unless the kid is out there, hence the little window so he/she can be seen! I imagine the winters are worse there, not to mention cold wind and rain, than where I lived, so this is more grandpa-hut looking and enclosed. Remind me to tell you the story of my father's first glimpse of the falls on our family vacation, unless I did already, I'm too old to remember who I told what!